Guide wires are commonly used in the course of trans-catheter endovascular interventions. Among the usages of such guide wires is the penetration of total or near-total occlusions in a blood vessel, such as an artery. In some cases, the artery moves in accordance with a cyclical physiological cycle, such as the cardiac cycle in the case of a coronary artery, or the respiratory cycle in the case of a renal artery. In some cases, such motion of the artery also comprises a change in its geometrical shape, such as an angle at which it is bent.
PCT Application WO 08/107905 to Iddan, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus for use with a portion of a subject's body that moves as a result of cyclic activity of a body system. An imaging device acquires a plurality of image frames of the portion. A sensor senses a phase of the cyclic activity. A medical tool performs a function with respect to the portion. A control unit generates a stabilized set of image frames of the medical tool disposed within the portion, actuates the tool to perform the function, or move, in response to the sensor sensing that the cyclic activity is at a given phase thereof, and inhibits the tool from performing the action or moving in response to the sensor sensing that the cyclic activity is not at the given phase. A display facilitates use of the tool by displaying the stabilized set of image frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,390 to Leary describes a guide wire for guiding a very small diameter catheter, such as a coronary dilatation catheter used in coronary angioplasty techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,223 to Rydell describes a hand-operated device for inflating the expander on a balloon-type catheter and for perfusing fluids through the catheter and out its distal end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,938 to Goodin et al. describes an inflation/deflation device for an angioplasty balloon catheter which permits quick inflation to an approximate working pressure followed by a fine but slower adjustment to a final desired pressure.
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